Foldable travelling case

ABSTRACT

A foldable travelling case includes a case body and two support plates. The case body has a bottom base and a top base with two opposite first side walls and two opposite second walls. The first and second side walls are connected with a periphery of the bottom base to respectively define a fold line with the bottom base. The support plates each have a bottom side pivotally connected with one of the first side walls such that each support plate is leanable against one of the first side walls so as to support the first side walls at an extended position. When the support plates are pivotally moved away from the first side walls, the first and second side walls can be folded along the fold lines and rested on the bottom base to reduce the volume of the travelling case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a travelling case, and more specifically to a travelling case that is foldable to save its storage space.

2. Description of the Related Art

In order to enjoy high quality in tourism, travelers usually prepare enough travel items for contingent use, and thus a travelling case can be used to store the travel items for enhancing the convenience of the travelers.

As far as the travelers are concerned, the travelling case must provide enough storage space to store a large number of the travel items, and the larger capacity the travelling case provides, the greater volume the travelling case has. However, the travelling case generally has a fixed volume because it usually includes an inflexible housing such that the travelling case having a great volume will occupy large space when it is in storage. Therefore, it is a need to provide an improved travelling case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-noted circumstances. It is one objective of the present invention to provide a travelling case that is foldable to occupy less space when it is in storage.

To achieve this objective of the present invention, the travelling case comprises a case body and two support plates. The case body includes a bottom base and a top base having two opposite first side walls and two opposite second walls. The first side walls and the second side walls are connected with a periphery of the bottom base to respectively define a fold line with the bottom base such that the first side walls and the second side walls can be foldable along the fold lines and rested at a folded position. The support plates each have a bottom side pivotally connected with one of the first side walls of the top base such that each support plate is leanable against one of the first side walls of the top base for supporting the first side walls at an extended position.

As long as the support plates are folded, the first and second side walls can be folded along the fold lines and rested on the bottom base to reduce the volume of the travelling case of the present invention, thereby allowing the travelling case to occupy less space.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a travelling case according to a first preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, showing that the first and second side walls of the top base stand at an extended position;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the travelling case according to the first preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, showing the first adhesive portions of the support plates are unstuck from the second adhesive portions of the cover;

FIG. 3 is still another perspective view of the travelling case according to the first preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, showing the first and second side walls of the top base are folded and rested at a folded position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the travelling case according to a second preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, showing the support plates and the first side walls of the top base are attached to each other through the hook and loop fastener, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the travelling case according to a third preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, showing the lid and the bottom base of the case body are bound together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, a travelling case 10 in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a case body 20, two support plates 30, two covers 40, and four reinforced plates 50.

The case body 20 includes a bottom base 22, a top base 24, and a lid 26. The bottom base 22 can be placed on the ground, and equipped with a pull rod assembly 221 therein. The top base 24 has two opposite first side walls 242, two second side walls 244, and a bottom wall 246. The first side walls 242 and the second side walls 244 are connected with a periphery of the bottom base 22 to respectively define a fold line 25 such that the first side walls 242 and the second side walls 244 can be folded relative to the bottom base 22 along the fold lines 25. The bottom wall 246 has a periphery connected with the first side walls 242 and the second side walls 244 to define a space 60 for accommodation of items. The lid 26 includes a connection portion 264 and a top plate 262. The connection portion 264 has two opposite sides respectively connected with one of the first side walls 242 of the top base 20 and the top plate 262 for allowing the top plate 262 to be capped on the top base 24 and fastened to the top base 24 through a zipper 266.

The support plates 30 each have a bottom side connected with a bottom side of one of the first side walls 242 by sewing or a hook and loop fastener 52 so as to be pivotable between one of the first side walls 242 and the bottom wall 246, and three first adhesive portions 31 at a front side thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the first adhesive portion 31 is embodied as a hook fastener.

The covers 40 each have a top side connected with a top side of one of the first side walls 244 of the top base 24 such that the support plates 30 can be exposed when the covers 40 are lifted, and three second adhesive portions 42 at a back side thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the second adhesive portion 42 is embodied as a loop fastener for attachment of one of the first adhesive portions 32 of one of the support plates 30. Further, the cover 40 is provided with an internal chamber (not shown) and equipped with a zipper 44 to open or close the internal chamber such that the cover 40 functions as a bag for accommodation of items.

The reinforced plates 50 are respectively connected with one of two opposite ends of one of the support plates 30 and attached to the second side walls 244 through a hook and loop fastener 72 for strengthening the structural strength of the support plates 30. To deserve to be mentioned, the reinforced plates 50 and the second side walls 244 can be connected with each others through a buckle or a zipper in lieu of the hook and loop fastener 72.

To fold the travelling case 10 when it is not in use, a user can lift the covers 40 to force the second adhesive portions 42 of the covers 40 to be unstuck from the first adhesive portions 32 of the support plates 30, as shown in FIG. 2, and then pull the reinforced plates 50 to allow the separation of the reinforced plates 50 from the second side walls 244. Thereafter, the support plates 30 can be pivotally folded by the user and laid on the bottom wall 246, and then the first and second side walls 242 and 244 can be folded toward the bottom base 22 along the fold lines 25 and rested on the bottom base 22 at a folded position, as shown in FIG. 3. Finally, the user can put the lid 26 over the first and second side walls 242 and 244 to complete the folding work of the travelling case 10 of the present invention.

To extend the travelling case 10, the user can lift the lid 26 to extend the first and second side walls 242 and 244 of the top base 24, and then lift the support plates 30 to lean against the first side walls 242 and attach the reinforced plates 50 to the second side walls 244 so as to support the first side wall 242 and the second side walls 244 at an extended position. Thereafter, the user can attach the second adhesive portions 42 of the covers 40 to the first adhesive portions 32 of the support plates 30 by lowering the covers 40. Accordingly, the first side walls 242 of the top base 24 are supported by the support plates 30 such that the user can put travel items in the space 60 or the chamber of the covers 40. After packing, the user can zip up the zipper 266 to close the space 60.

By means of the aforesaid design, the travelling case of the present invention can be reduced its volume when it is in storage through the foldable first and second side walls of the top base and the support plates.

FIG. 4 shows a travelling case 80 according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the covers and the reinforced plates are eliminated according the actual needs, and the support plates 82 and the first side walls 84 can be respectively attached to each others through a hook and loop fastener 86.

FIG. 5 shows a travelling case 90 according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, further comprising a strap 91 extending from two wing portions 92 of the lid 93 for binding the lid 93 and the bottom base 94 of the case body 95 together when the first and second side walls of the top base are folded.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A foldable travelling case comprising: a case body having a bottom base and a top base having two opposite first side walls and two opposite second walls, the first side walls and the second side walls being connected with a periphery of the bottom base to respectively define a fold line with the bottom base such that the first side walls and the second side walls are foldable along the fold lines; and two support plates each having a bottom side pivotally connected with one of the first side walls of the top base such that each of the two support plates is leanable against one of the first side walls of the top base for supporting the first side walls.
 2. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover having a top side connected with one of the first side walls of the top base, and an adhesive portion detachably connectable to an adhesive portion of one of the support plates.
 3. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, further comprising four reinforced plates each connected with one of two opposite ends of one of the support plates, and detachably connectable to one of the second side walls.
 4. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reinforced plates are respectively attached to the second side walls through a hook and loop fastener.
 5. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top base includes a bottom wall having a periphery connected with the first and second side walls and connected to the support plates through a hook and loop fastener.
 6. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the support plates is attached to one of the first side walls through a hook and loop fastener.
 7. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the case body includes a lid capped on the top base and connectable to the top base through a zipper; the foldable travelling case further comprising a strap for binding the lid and the bottom base.
 8. The travelling case as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strap extends from two wing portions of the lid. 